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Credit: Tom Sofield/LevittownNow.com
The Pennsbury School Board reviewed a health and safety plan for the upcoming school year.
The Phased School Reopening Health and Safety Plan approved by the school board Thursday is 44 pages and was completed after reviewing guidelines and taking advice from educators, administrators, the public, and a variety of health officials from all levels of government.
Pennsbury Director of Pupil Services Elizabeth Aldridge laid out an overview of the plan during Thursday evening’s virtual meeting. She said social distancing, face coverings, enhanced cleaning procedures, and protective barriers will be put into place when students return.
Superintendent Dr. William Gretzula said there’s still some uncertainty on the final measures that will be mandated, but the district is trying to keep up and keep students and staff safe.
The district plans to keep parents in the loop and push out information and videos in advance of school opening, Aldridge said.
The district’s health and safety plan requires students wear face coverings if they will be less than six feet from others. There will be exceptions made for specific medical conditions. The plan also calls for students wearing face coverings while riding the bus, cancellation of cross-district events, closing water fountains, increasing ventilation of buildings, “frequent” bathroom cleanings, no field trips, limiting the number of students per seat on buses, scaling back visitor access to buildings, sanitizing buildings and surfaces, and providing information and triage checklists to staff and school nurses.
The district will not undertake mass temperature screenings of students as they enter the building. Aldridge said health officials said it was not found to be very effective.
If there are positive cases of students and staff, Pennsbury will be in communication with the county health department and take cues from them as contact tracing takes place, Aldridge said.
A full copy of the plan can be found on the district website.
The district was still reviewing a revised list of recommendations for schools issued Thursday afternoon by the state health department.
Aldridge and Gretzula both said the district continues to monitor the latest information from health officials. Gretzula has also been taking part in calls with other school districts and health officials.
At a special meeting on Tuesday, July 28, the school board will discuss a continuity of education plan that will shape how the school year will look for students and parents.
The school district is looking at a “blended reopening model” that uses both in-person and remote learning for students by alternating days and times of attendance.
The district has been seeking input from the community on how schools will reopen.
To aid schools in reopening, the Bucks County Commissioners announced Thursday that all students will receive a clear face shield.
The board also discussed a plan for the health and safety of students who play sports.
Gretzula said everything implemented for classrooms will be used in sports and athletics facilities. There will also be social distancing, no fist-bumps or high fives, no group huddles, and no indoor training rooms. Coaches and officials will have to wear face coverings at all times and athletes will need to wear them when appropriate.
While the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association announced they support fall sports, the decision will be made on regional levels by leagues schools partake in.
Gretzula said decisions have not been made yet on middle school and high school freshman athletics.
Below the district released a list of frequently asked questions:
TRANSPORTATION QUESTIONS
Question: How often will buses be cleaned and disinfected? What types of cleaners and disinfectants will be used? Answer: The minimum is at the end of the shift. We will use disinfectant that meets CDC guidelines . It is the intent of the school district to meet or exceed the recommendations made by Dr. Damsker of the Bucks County Health Department regarding disinfecting highly-touched surfaces like inside school buses. In this instance, the doctor recommends cleaning them once a day. Although multiple cleanings might seem optimum, there is concern about the cleaning solution’s evaporation rate on inside surfaces like seats and seat backs in different temperatures, the potential of airborne or topical cleaning solution causing throat or skin irritation with passengers, and the storage of cleaning solutions on school buses while children are on board which may not be allowed by PennDOT. We will monitor our progress and increase the cleanings as warranted.
Question: Will the drivers have to take temperatures as kids get on the bus? Answer: No, the guidance of the Bucks County Health Department is that taking temperatures is not an effective method for screening for COVID-19, especially in children.
Question: Will the district provide bus aides to help ensure kids will follow the rules and seating procedures?
Answer: No. The cost to hire a bus aide for every run would be a very large number. Drivers will be expected to offer reminders of the rules and then report issues to the school as they do with other rule-breaking behavior. There will be ample signs posted on each bus alerting the children of the need to wear masks, social distance, and minimize contact with each other while on the school buses, and the drivers will monitor and reinforce these messages daily. We will rely on schools and families to reinforce these messages with students.
Question : What is the normal percentage of students transported in the district? Answer : In previous years the percentage of students eligible for bus transportation has been between 75 and 80 percent of the total student population.
Question: What will riding a bus to school look like? Answer: The inside of a full-size school bus is equipped with twenty-six bench seats so the maximum ridership on the bus will be limited to fifty-two students, which equates to two students to each seat. Social distancing will be encouraged to the fullest degree possible, and all students will be required to wear face coverings (shields or face masks) while on the bus.
BLENDED SCHEDULE QUESTIONS
Question: If we go with an alternating schedule, will we ensure that family members are assigned to the same day? Answer: Yes, with very few exceptions.
Question: If we move to a blended model where, for instance, students attend Mon/Wed and Tues/Thurs, will groups remain the same over time (i.e. students will routinely be with the same group of kids and not others.) Answer: Barring any necessary changes to the groupings, yes, we would expect them to remain the same over time. However, keep in mind that we have not implemented a schedule like this before and we don’t know all of the potential challenges of this type of schedule at this time.
Question: What grades would be part of that staggered model- all grades? Answer: At this point, the Continuity of Education Planning Committee is looking at a rotating schedule for all students.
LOCKERS
Question: Will students use lockers for physical education? Answer: No, we believe we can function successfully without using PE lockers as we did at PWMS during construction.
Question: Will students use hallway lockers at middle school? Answer: We are working on a solution to this. This may include a temporary return to backpacks at the middle school level.
BATHROOMS
Question: Will hall monitors be available to monitor social distancing at the student restrooms? Answer: We may be able to do this in some secondary schools.
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE)
Question: What PPE will be provided for classrooms? Answer: We plan on providing hand sanitizer for classrooms and high traffic areas. Plexiglass in areas determined by the administration and facilities department. Teachers and students will be provided with face-coverings upon request. We will also be able to distribute one clear face shield to all staff and students. This was provided by the county.
Question: How will we ensure proper masks are being worn by students. A student is concerned that her friends wear a very, very thin cloth over their faces. Answer: As long as the student is wearing a face-covering over their nose and mouth, it is acceptable. Schools cannot specify the quality of the mask per the Department of Health.
Question: Will masks, school supplies, water bottles be supplied to teachers for students who need them?! Answer: All staff are asked to have their own masks. Disposable masks will be available if they forget theirs. Face shield-style masks will be provided for bus drivers. Other support staff members’ needs or teachers’ needs for face shields, depending on their work, will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Students who ask for a mask at school will be given on. We can provide school supplies, as we do each year, for families who cannot provide them.
COVID-19 TESTING/CONTACT TRACING
Question : Will there be covid test kits in the nurse’s office on hand during the school day? Answer: No, students and staff will need to follow up with their health care providers for testing.
Question: What might contact tracing look like for kids who may have been exposed to a COVID-19 positive teacher or student? Are we quarantining all “contact” points? at the high school this could be exponential Answer: The DOH will be directing our contact tracing. https://www.health.pa.gov/topics/disease/coronavirus/Pages/Contact-Tracing.aspx
AIR CIRCULATION, VENTILATION, WINDOWS, FANS (GENERAL)
Question: How can better air circulation be achieved in a building without operable windows?
Answer: The ventilation systems are designed to replace the air in the building with fresh air numerous times every hour. This occurs without opening the windows. The District plans to open this system to 100%. This will give the building the maximum amount of air changes allowable by the system. The result may be that the air conditioning does not cool as well as it could because the system will be bringing more warm air into the building than it is designed for to provide the most efficient cooling. Opening the windows could bring in more fresh air, but as long as the ventilation system is working it is not necessary. Also, opening windows does make the air conditioning system less efficient. What could help circulating air is the addition of fans. Again, like opening windows, it will help but it is not necessary. The District does have a policy stating that appliances, like fans, brought from home are not permitted. In this situation, the District is waiving that policy.
Question: And fans? Aren’t we just blowing germs around the room? Answer: We also reached out to the DOH for more detail on this. This link says to use fans, nothing about the potential to blow germs around:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/office-buildings.html When we asked the DOH about this, they responded:
“If the room had a hallway door that was able to be open, a fan placed to blow the air out of the room would be acceptable.”
HIGH SCHOOL SPECIFIC QUESTIONS
Question: How can we create more social distancing on the path? Answer: We are looking at several options including closing the internal road and utilizing that as well.
ELEMENTARY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS
Question: What does social distancing realistically look like for K/1/2? They’re all over each other. Answer: During the first six weeks of school teachers always review classroom routines. Expectations will be reviewed with all students about the importance of maintaining that six feet distance. I envision teachers using a meter/yard stick to physically show students what 3ft/6ft might look like. Procedures will establish the rules for using the bathroom, getting out of their seats, and other routines but through the lens of the Pandemic we are facing. This will be work done with the elementary principals and then communicated to staff.
Question: How will indoor recess be conducted? Answer: Typically our students during indoor recess do games or activities that require limited movement. The elementary principals will establish those guidelines and review and prepare our school aides to make sure that students are complying with activities that don’t involve contact with other students. As of this writing, we are still processing the guidance received from PDE on 7-16-2020.
Question: Where will students eat lunch if the cafeteria is not an option? Answer: Students will eat lunch in the classroom. Students who pack lunch will take out their lunch and eat at their desk. Students would be dismissed to the cafeteria to purchase lunch. We will mark floors and hallways as well as the cafeteria to keep students socially distanced. The Nutrition Group will have safety protocols in place for our students as well.
Question: Will elementary students have to pay for Chromebooks like the 6-12 students do? Answer: That will be something that will be discussed with our new IT Director.
Question: Generally students in grades k-2 need more support with things such as tying shoes, opening containers, buttoning coats etc. Will there be guidance on how to handle these types of things when they come up? Many times classmates help each other. This should probably be something that is reviewed with students. Answer: Yes, this will be something that will be addressed with our students. We know that when something drops or there is a spill our kind students are quick to lend a hand. This would be something that teachers will do as teachers will have access to hand-sanitizer when aiding students with what are sometimes cumbersome tasks.
ARRIVAL/DISMISSAL
Question: How will procedures for pick up for early dismissal, sick dismissal, and end of the day be revised for social distancing? Answer: We will develop procedures at each level for these situations.
STUDENTS/STAFF WITH SPECIAL NEEDS AND/OR SPECIAL MEDICAL NEEDS
Question: Have we considered the impact of teacher/student masks in classrooms where there is a hearing-impaired student who utilizes lip-reading or an FM system? What additional accommodations will need to be made? Answer: Yes! We will need to identify the areas of need and make accommodations for the students based on their individual needs.
HAND SANITIZER/WIPES
Question: Will we be asking families to provide Clorox wipes and hand sanitizer at the middle school and elementary as part of the school supply list? Are we prepared to fill that gap for what families cannot provide or find? Answer:
The H&S Steering Committee recommends that schools ask for these supplies as usual but make it clear that families should provide those only if they can find it and afford it. We will not likely be able to get a large number of wipes. Spray and paper towels are the more likely option.
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS DRILLS
Question: When/how will changes to drills (fire, weather, ALICE) be updated and disseminated to staff? Answer: We will need to modify the drills while adhering to social distancing guidelines. PDE has provided an email address for questions and we have reached out for clarification.
MASK REQUIREMENT, EXCEPTIONS AND REFUSAL
Question: What if a student refuses to wear a mask? Answer: Response will vary depending on the age of the student if this is the first time or the fifth time. Not wearing a mask is a safety issue and it would be a serious violation.
Question : Should the student conduct policy be changed about face coverings? Answer : It has been added to the policy.
SPECIAL AREA CLASSES/ELECTIVES
Question : What will phys ed look like? a lot less of it? Answer: From elementary: We are still working on what physical education will look like. We will want to focus on Life Fitness activities that individual students can do to stay fit and well. I envision limited activities that involve cooperative work. Fitness equipment would be cleaned between classes. We are also looking at creating a schedule where one class would have a special area for X amount of days to minimize cross contamination issues for students and staff. From secondary: We will continue with life type activities and do as much outdoors as possible. At high school, it will be necessary to maintain the traditional schedule, however, we are discussing changing the amount of time spent in PE at the middle level. I have a middle school principal meeting today and will update this. No use of locker rooms of course.
QUARANTINE
Question :
Will students and staff who come back from travel to recent “hot spots” be asked to self-quarantine for any length of time? Answer : Yes if it is one of the states currently on the list for PA.
RETURN TO SCHOOL/WORK AFTER ILLNESS
Question: What do we do if a parent does not take their child to the doctor and the child has a fever. Will it be recommended they remain home 72 hours and fever free? Currently our policy is 24 hours fever free without medication (Antipyretics). Answer: If a student has a documented fever and is sent home from school, to return they need: 1) either a doctor’s clearance/explanation, i.e. strep throat 2) a negative COVID test or 3) wait 10 days after symptom onset if the child is not evaluated by a physician.
Question: When students/staff can return to school after a COVID-19 diagnosis, do they need DOH clearance AND medical professional clearance (doctor note) or just one of the two? Answer: Bucks County Department of Health to return to school. When an individual is positive for COVID, they are contacted by the BCDH and given an isolation letter. When they are released from isolation, they will be issued the Release from Isolation letter.
REMOTE LEARNING
Question: Can someone speak, in regards, to what the district is currently doing presently to make sure that the district gives students the best online experience should we have to revert at any time to online learning? Answer: Brad: We have created four days of professional development for all teachers across the district, which are scheduled to begin the week of July 27th and run through the first week of scheduled classes, which would be pushed back to accommodate the extra time needed for teachers to prepare.. These plans were designed so that the skills and tools we’re working with will be useful both in the classroom and in a virtual setting. At the Secondary level this is training and time to work in Canvas, a more advanced Learning Management System. About 30-40 of our high school teachers currently use Canvas in some way to enhance the digital portion of their classes. Like Google Classroom, Canvas would be beneficial to all teachers and students if we were 100% in person for instruction, but it becomes a vital tool to ensure the best virtual learning experience possible. Many post secondary schools offer either Hybrid or Online Only courses and these are conducted via an LMS like Canvas. Additionally, the district had a three year plan to rollout Canvas and build courses each year, but our current situation has accelerated this process. At the Elementary level the days will focus on setting up organized Google Classrooms, utilizing Google Tools like Forms, Slides, and Drawings, and focusing on staying in the Pennsbury provided tools (Kami, Reading Eggs, Study Island, etc…) to ensure a smooth process for students and parents.
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